knowledge

[ nol-ij ]

noun

1. acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition:

   knowledge of many things.

2. familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning:

   A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.

3. acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report:

   a knowledge of human nature.

4. the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.

   Synonyms: scholarship, erudition, comprehension, discernment, understanding

5. awareness, as of a fact or circumstance:

   He had knowledge of her good fortune.

6. something that is or may be known; information:

   He sought knowledge of her activities.

7. the body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time.
8. the sum of what is known:

   Knowledge of the true situation is limited.

9. Archaic. sexual intercourse. Compare carnal knowledge.

adjective

1. creating, involving, using, or disseminating special knowledge or information:

   A computer expert can always find a good job in the knowledge industry.

knowledge

/ ˈnɒlɪdʒ /

noun

1. the facts, feelings or experiences known by a person or group of people
2. the state of knowing
3. awareness, consciousness, or familiarity gained by experience or learning
4. erudition or informed learning
5. specific information about a subject
6. sexual intercourse (obsolete except in the legal phrase carnal knowledge )
7. come to one's knowledge
   to become known to one
8. to my knowledge
   1. as I understand it
   2. as I know
9. grow out of one's knowledge
   to behave in a presumptuous or conceited manner

Other Words From

• knowledge·less adjective
• pre·knowledge noun
• super·knowledge noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of knowledge¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English knouleche, equivalent to know(en) “to know” + -leche, perhaps akin to Old English -lāc suffix denoting action or practice, cognate with Old Norse (-)leikr; know ¹; wedlock

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. to one's knowledge, according to the information available to one:

   To my knowledge he hasn't been here before.

More idioms and phrases containing knowledge

see little knowledge is a dangerous thing ; to the best of (one's knowledge) .

Synonym Study

See information.

Example Sentences

In two public surveys conducted as part of the research, Keserű said, participants were outraged and felt exploited in scenarios where their health data were sold for a profit without their knowledge.

From Los Angeles Times

Their analysis reveals that members related to a child's extended family have likely played a greater role in transmitting knowledge to children than previously thought.

From Science Daily

"In order to use vulture knowledge, we need an interface -- and at GAIA, this interface is created by combining animal tags with artificial intelligence."

From Science Daily

This knowledge can be used to develop drugs for chronic pain that are more effective and have fewer side effects.

From Science Daily

She spoke of losing 10 years of her life through medical worries caused by the drugs her former husband had given her without her knowledge.

From BBC

Related Words

• ability
• awareness
• education
• expertise
• familiarity
• grasp
• insight
• intelligence
• judgment
• know-how
• learning
• observation
• philosophy
• power
• proficiency
• recognition
• science
• theory
• wisdom